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PETROZAVODSK, August 9, 2004. /PRIME-TASS/. The volume of foreign trade between the Republic of Karelia and Finland within the period from January till June of 2004 in comparison with the appropriate period of 2003 has 26.2% increased up to $192,5 million, as PRIME-TASS has been informed in the press-service of the Government of republic.
In 2003 gain of volume of foreign trade with Finland has made 6,6%, having achieved the level of $323.5 million. Thus, the maximal for last four years volume of supplies from Karelia that made more $231 million was achieved. Basically, it is the increase of deliveries of saw-timber, paper, cardboard and equipment. Now more than 90% raw forest products exported by republic, about 10 percents of all newprint is delivered to Finland from Karelia. From Finland Karelia imports industrial and electric equipment, vehicles, paper, cardboard, production of ferrous metallurgy, and consumer goods.
Development of bilateral cooperation with Russia and contacts within the framework of programs of Northern Measurement remains priority direction in the foreign policy of Finland. It was declared by the Minister of foreign trade and development of Finland Paula Lehtomaki at the meeting with the Head of the Republic of Karelia Sergey Katanandov in Kostomuksha. The total amount of financing of the planned new programs of the Eurounion within the framework of the Wide Europe - New Neighbourhood project inthe Russian Federation from 2004 till 2006 will make about 20 million euros.
Finland continues to remain the basic trading partner of the enterprises of Karelia. On S.Katanandov's words, Karelia is interested in cooperation. As their priorities the parties have named agriculture, increase of the living standard in the village, maintenance of employment of countrymen, development of private enterprises on the basis of the Finnish experience, assistance to development of forage production and vegetable growing, introduction of new highly effective technologies. These priorities are supposed to be discussed on September 7, 2004 in Helsinki during the session of Karelian-Finnish intergovernmental subgroup on adjacent cooperation.
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